Bughead Lives On
by AshTMI17
Summary: A collection of Bughead one shots. Please leave me prompts :)
1. Chapter 1

**I am a new Riverdale fan and I love Bughead! They inspired me to write this. This will be a series of one shots. Please review and give me prompt ideas. I own nothing but the plot.**

Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones met when they were five-years-old, when they joined the kindergarten class of Riverdale Elementary School. They were both outcasts. She was the perfect girl who had scary, overbearing parents, and he was the strange kid raised on the wrong side of the tracks. They were never meant to be friends, but somehow it happened anyway.

On that first day, an older boy, Jason Blossom, pushed Betty into the sand on the playground. Jughead had been sitting on a bench, reading (another thing that made him weird was that he was the only five-year-old who could read novels), when he heard Betty crying. When he glanced up, she was on sitting on the floor, staring down at her skinned knees. He ran over to her and helped her to her feet, pushing Jason out of the way. Jughead comforted her, not saying a word, but sitting next to her until the teacher came with a band aid.

"Thank you," she'd whispered as she straightened out her ponytail and wiped the sand off her skirt.

"No problem." As he began to walk toward the bench again, a small hand landed on his shoulder, so he turned back to face her. He was confused, unsure why the girl would want to talk to him of all people.

"I'm Elizabeth Cooper, by the way. I go by Betty though. When I was born, my sister couldn't say Elizabeth so she called me Betty and it stuck. Who are you?" The girl was smiling brightly; it was almost contagious. Almost.

"Jughead," he replied flatly.

"No seriously. You're real name?" By this time, she was bouncing on her heels, her blonde curls swaying and blue eyes shining.

"Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third. I go by Jughead." Betty smiled even wider when the information was finally given to her. If people could say one thing about the little blonde girl, it was that she was persistent.

"Well, Jughead, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." With that, she followed him to the bench and listened to him read aloud for the rest of recess.

After that, the duo was inseparable. The odd couple. If the blonde was spotted, in her pastel dresses and high ponytail, the boy with the beanie covering his dark hair was not far behind. She was bright and bubbly, he was quiet and removed. It didn't matter though; to be friends with Betty was to be friends with Jughead, at least as much as he allowed you to.

Jughead didn't rely on anyone except for Betty. His parents were notoriously flakey and, when the duo was twelve, his mom took off with his little sister, Jellybean, leaving him with his gang leader, alcoholic father. His dad was in and out of jail, and during those stretches of time he'd usually stay in Betty's basement. Her parents understood, and were willing to take him in regularly. The duo had really lucked out. Betty's parents hated everyone (or at least it felt like it), but they seemed to have a soft spot for the almost-orphan that watched out for their youngest daughter.

In fifth grade, they attended camp together. In eighth grade, they took each other to their very first dance (Betty still has the picture of her in a hot pink dress and braces and Jughead, awkward in his slightly too large suit). For Jughead, Betty hung the moon and he just knew she was it for him. No one could ever replace Betty Cooper. Not to him.

But at the beginning of this year, their junior year in high school, things changed. Betty suddenly became close to the boy next door, Archie Andrews. Archie is everything Betty could want – handsome, athletic, popular, and kind. She is understandably enamored. She is still friends with Jughead – or Juggy, as she often calls him – but she's distracted by the boy next door. There is a distance between the pair that never existed before, and it breaks Jughead's heart.

Jughead watches her laughing with Archie at lunch while typing away at his computer. He got into writing shortly after his mom and sister left as a way to deal with his feelings. He channels all of the angst he feels about how shitty his life is into words on the computer screen, pouring his heart into a novel set in Riverdale. It is a murder mystery, and the main characters were a blonde, Nancy Drew type and her quiet, inquisitive boyfriend. He punches away at the keys, even when he is momentarily distracted by Betty's hand on Archie's shoulder and the wide smile on her face. Sure, Veronica, Betty's other best friend is there too, but Betty's eyes are on Archie.

He used to make her smile like that.

Jughead knows he is jealous. He may be the king of denial, but even he can't deny it at this point. It's a fact the same way that breathing being necessary for human survival is a fact; so basic and primal that there is no questioning it. His feelings are something he had never expected - it came out of nowhere. And the worst part was that he hadn't even noticed he was jealous until Ethel Muggs mentioned how cute Archie and Betty were one day. It had been an offhand comment in the Blue and Gold office, but it felt like a knife plunged into his back.

And now he can't stop it. The feelings he has for Betty aren't going away. And when Betty and Archie start dating (it's inevitable, after all, the blonde cheerleader and the popular football player), he knows his heart will finally break in half. His only hope is that in a couple of years he will be on his way out of Riverdale and moving towards a new future. Hopefully then he could finally put her behind him.

Recently, Betty has noticed him pulling away, even through her Archie-mania. At least she notices something. But it makes things awkward. Archie is an ever-present third wheel to their friendship.

Betty and Jughead are at Pop's when the tension between them finally explodes for Jughead. After school, Archie has football practice. Jughead treasures the time because he can be alone with Betty without the redhead. The two settle down and order their milkshakes when Betty's phone buzzes. She glances down at it quickly and a smile quickly emerges on her face. His stomach drops.

That's her Archie smile. He hates that smile; it seems so forced. He much prefers her soft, laughing smile; the one she displays when he showcases his sardonic humor.

"What?" he asks hesitantly, hoping he is wrong, no matter how irrational it is.

"Archie's practice was canceled. Would you mind if he joins us?" Her blue eyes are impossibly wide and shining, and he has no power to resist them. Jughead just nods his head, his hands balling into a fist under the table.

Five minutes later, Archie walks in and quickly takes a seat next to Betty. He is animated when he speaks, Jughead notices. Entertaining and playful. Nothing at all like Jughead's own sarcasm and overarching cynicism.

It finally "clicks" for him. Archie is a perfect match for Betty's bubbly personality. Jughead and Betty never fit the way he thought they did. He was kidding himself all along.

He stands up without warning, startling the duo sitting on the other side of the booth. Betty's eyebrows furrow in confusion and she grabs his hand across Archie as Jughead stands. "You okay, Juggie?" she asks, completely oblivious to his racing heart at her touch.

She's worried. And disappointed. And Jughead feels even more like shit than he did when he stood up.

"Yeah, Betts, I'm fine. Just tired. I'm gonna head home. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Betty's gaze falls as she releases his hand and she nods. He forces a smile out and makes his way out of Pop's.

Luckily, his dad is out of jail, and once again attempting to go straight, so Jughead doesn't have to go back to Betty's house. He doesn't think he could've taken it. When he gets home, F.P. is asleep on the couch. That is definitely not unusual. F.P. works for Archie's dad doing construction so he's exhausted at the end of his long days. It pains Jughead that his dad works for an Andrews, but once again, it shows that the Andrews men will always win against the Jones men. Jughead turns off the TV and crawls into bed, trying to erase everything on his mind.

He needs to forget Betty Cooper and the eleven years they have known each other. He knows that. For his own sanity, he has to. It will hurt when he sees her with Archie, but the more distance he can put between them before the inevitable coupling, the better.

The problem is that she is everywhere in Riverdale. Pictures in his room, school, Pop's, nothing is safe from their shared past and the memories that plague Jughead like a curse.

A week later, Betty finally corners him in the Blue and Gold office when he comes by to edit a couple of articles. He had postponed as long as he could, but he is the editorial manager, so he has to check things before the newest edition goes to print. Betty is the Editor-in-Chief, of course, so she spends most mornings in the office. So he knows he could never have avoided her.

She is concerned, worried that he has been sick or hurt or that she has angered him. He promises he is fine, and escapes as quickly as possible, leaving a hurt Betty behind.

Two more weeks pass. Jughead sees Betty when they work on the newspaper or sometimes in passing at Pop's, but as soon as she notices him he makes up some excuse to leave. He can't help but see that the sparkle in her eyes is gone. He thinks a part of him dies, as he watches her become more distraught with each day. Because even with the distance between them, Jughead will always love her. He doesn't want to hurt her, but he knows in his heart this is what is best. For both of them.

Maybe. Hopefully.

It doesn't seem like Archie and Betty's relationship has progressed, but it is only a matter of time, especially with the homecoming dance coming up. Jughead can see the couple on the steps of the school, arms around each other, smiling for the camera. He'd be happy for them if he wasn't so in love with Betty.

Sabrina, another South Side resident and daughter of one of the Serpents, stops by to check in on him in the Blue and Gold every once in a while. She's nice and seems to have taken a liking to him. She kind of looks like Betty – with blonde curls and full lips. But her lips are lined with blood red and her heels click as she walks. Definitely not Betty. But close enough to be a salve on his heart, at least temporarily. So he befriends her.

One day, before she leaves the office, Sabrina somehow has him magically agreeing to go to homecoming with her. He doesn't know how it happens, but he figures it isn't the end of the world. At least Sabrina would keep him distracted from Betty. And she's his friend. So it works.

On the night of the dance, he realizes how impossible it is to distract himself from the woman who constantly holds his attention. She looks stunning in a pale pink, strapless dress that is tight through the hips and then looser from the hips to just above her knee. She walks in alone. Jughead completely forgets that Archie even exists when he looks at her.

After a while of dancing, where he watches Betty dancing with some friends, Sabrina notices that his attention is elsewhere and ditches him, huffing in frustration as she goes to find someone else to dance with. Maybe she likes him more than he likes her. Oh well. After all, she's not Betty. Jughead just shrugs and goes to a table to sit.

A slow song comes on. He is shocked to see Archie dancing with Veronica Lodge. The pretty brunette is wearing a slinky silver dress and heels high enough to make Jughead nervous. Her head is tucked into his neck and he is holding her very close, his hands on the small of her back.

He didn't come with Betty. He isn't with Betty. The thought is on repeat in his mind as he adjusts the grey beanie on his head and stares at his Converse sneakers.

"Hi Juggy," a soft voice whispers from his right. He jerks his head up and sees Betty sitting next to him, a soft smile on her face. "You look good, Jug."

"Thanks – this was the best I could do," he says, gesturing to his suit and tie, complemented by his signature shoes and hat. "And you look…" He can't even think of a word that would adequately describes her, especially now that he is seeing her up close. All he wants to do is pull her close to him and never let her go.

A blush rises on Betty's cheeks and he thinks it's the best thing he has ever seen.

"How are you, Juggy?" The smile falls from her face, like she is remembering a horrible detail of her life that she hopes to forget.

"I... I'm okay."

"Good. I'm glad. I've been worried. I don't know what's going on with you Jug, but if you want to talk, you know I'm here. I love you, Juggy."

She doesn't mean it the way he means it, he thinks. But he still gazes into her eyes, searching for a sign of hope, just in case it's there. Her eyes glitter as she looks at him. It's the first time he's seen that in her eyes since he started avoiding her. Is that a sign? He isn't sure, but he takes a deep breath and asks her if she wants to dance. She nods and follows him out to the dance floor.

It's a fast song, so they dance around like idiots. When he glances to his right, he sees that Veronica and Archie are there and Betty beams at them. She doesn't seem bothered at all that they are there together. Could she have moved on that fast?

All the thoughts slip from his mind as a slow song starts; they are completely replaced with nerves. He doesn't know where to put his hands as he pulls her closer to him, but he thinks he's done something right when he feels her sharp intake of breath. Her hands wrap around his neck and her fingers glide through the hair at the nape of his neck. He shivers under her soft touch. She's never touched him like this before. Not in the over a decade that they have known each other.

Her warm breath is fanning his face as he stares at her. "Betty..." he whispers. He doesn't know what he means to say so he pauses for a second to think.

Before he can continue, the grip on his hair tightens slightly. "Can we, uh, talk outside, Jug?" She looks nervous, which is very not Betty like.

He nods and she takes his hand in hers and leads him out of the room. She drags him into an empty computer lab but doesn't let go of his hand at he follows her inside. Not until they sit side by side.

"What's up?" he rasps, an odd feeling tingling in his spine.

"Why did you abandon me, Jug?" She asks, tears welling in her beautiful eyes. He desperately wants to comfort her, all hopes of ever forgetting her gone. She has engrained herself in his soul. Jughead isn't Jughead without Betty at his side. "I just want to know what I did." She's crying now, and without thinking he raises both of his hands to wipe her tears.

"You didn't do anything, Betts. I swear. This was all me. I was... going through something. And you know I pull away; it's my survival instinct. I am so, so sorry."

"Is F.P. in jail again?" He shakes his head. "Did your mom come home?" Another shake. "Then what is it, Juggy? I'm your best friend, let me help you. Don't shut me out anymore."

He takes a deep breath. "I, well, I thought you would want alone time with Archie."

Her reaction stuns him. She laughs. Genuinely laughs. "What?" She says through her continuing giggles. "Me and Archie? You can't be serious... he's totally head over heals with Ronnie. I was just helping him strategize how best to win her over."

Jughead stands up and steps back, surprised at the revelation. "What?"

"You thought I was in love with Archie?" He nods. "And you... what, didn't want to be the third wheel?" She stands and moves closer to him again, her eyes glowing. She's smiling at him, the ghost of her tears still on her pink cheeks.

He just wants to kiss her.

"Well, no, not exactly. I was... jealous."

Her eyes go wide, but then her smile gets even wider. "Jealous?" She asks, taking another couple of steps towards him so that their toes and chests are touching.

"Yes," he whispers. Before he can continue, she leans forward and touches her soft, plush lips to his briefly before pulling away.

He stares at her in awe for ten seconds. But then his brain catches up to what just happened and his heart starts beating again and he lunges forward, his hands wrapping her face as he pulls his lips to hers.

It's heaven. He's died and gone to heaven. That's the only explanation for the subliminal experience that is kissing Betty Cooper. It's better than his wildest daydreams. Her mouth opens slightly, allowing his tongue to enter as he wraps his hands around her hips and hers eagerly comb through his hair.

She moans and he knows this can't be real. But it is.

After what feels like both seconds and hours, she pulls away slightly, but keeps her arms wrapped around his neck. His grip on her hips tightens, lust and surprise running through his veins. She's looking into his eyes and smiling and he finds himself smiling. Betty Cooper has made Jughead Jones – the perpetually angsty boy – smile, just like she always has.

But this time, she's reflecting that same love back to him. I love you, he thinks.

"I love you, too, Jug," she gasps out. Shit, he must have said it aloud.

But Betty Cooper loves him. His best friend, his soulmate, is in love with him. His heart is soaring and he cannot wipe the grin off his face.

Her hands slip under his beanie and remove it. She leans back in, touching her lips gently to his before pulling away again. He brings her back to him, his lips meeting hers in a hurried, eager way. The raw need for each other is pulsing throughout the room and he's going to explode. Her hands start exploring his body, and his move down to rest on her ass. She moans into his mouth and he gasps as she pulls away from his lips to nip at the sensitive skin on his neck. She slides his jacket off his shoulders and starts unbuttoning his shirt.

Before he knows it, they are both in their underwear and desperate for each other. Being with Betty makes him feel like he is home. Betty is his home. When his body meets hers, all the pieces fall into place.

That, right there, that moment, was the beginning of Jughead's life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Thank you for the reviews on my first Bughead one-shot. Here is number two! A note: the characters are out of character in this fic (Jughead the do-gooder, Betty the lost one, Veronica the overachiever, and Archie the troubled one). If you like it, please review and if you don't, well, still review. As usual, I own nothing but the plot.**

Walking in to the soup kitchen, Betty can't believe that she is in this mess. _Stupid Archie and his stupid ideas._ Now, she has been sentenced to three months of community service at this ridiculous place. It isn't her fault that her boyfriend (okay, now ex-boyfriend) is an idiot who thought that driving a hundred miles an hour and crashing a car into a picnic gazebo in the middle of the night was _fun_. She was sitting in the passenger seat, sure, but it's not like she was driving. It _wasn't_ her fault, even though she took the blame. So here she is.

Betty straightens out the wrinkles in her skirt and enters the building after parking in one of the volunteer spots. Inside, there are rows of tables set up and crowds of people are gathered around them. Betty's eyes go wide, surprised that some of the faces in the crowd are people she recognizes from school and around town. Before she has a chance to speak, a woman with worn, wrinkly skin and white hair greets her.

"Hello," she says politely, as her mother taught her. "I am looking for Forsythe Jones please."

The woman points to a rickety staircase at the back of the room. Without so much as a thank you, Betty makes her way to the stairs and climbs up. At the top, there is only one door so she knocks.

"Come in," a deep, masculine voice echoes through the door. When Betty enters, she sees a man not much older than her sitting behind a large, mahogany desk. Her breath catches for a second when she seems him. He's slim but muscular with dark hair and the bluest eyes she has ever seen. Even though he is sitting, Betty can tell he is tall. He's wearing a grey beanie on his head, ripped jeans, and a leather jacket. She fidgets as he looks at her. Well, it's more like a glare, really. All she knows is that it makes her simultaneously uncomfortable and tingly inside.

"I'm looking for Fosythe Jones, he runs this place?" she nearly whispers.

"You're looking at him."

She scoffs. " _You're_ the guy running this place?" It's shocking really. He looks like a gang member or a hobo, and yet here he is running a charity.

The man frowns and his eyes narrow. "Yes, I am. Problem?" Betty shakes her head. "Good, now, who the hell are you?"

"Betty Cooper. I'm here to fulfill the community service I have to do to not get expelled from Riverdale University…"

"Oh yeah, well, this is ironic. You're judging me and you're the delinquent."

"I am _not_ a delinquent!" She moves closer to the desk, her hands balling into fists and her nails digging into her palms. "Listen, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but can you just tell me what I have to do for the next few months so I can do it and get back to my normal life?"

The man sighs like she is ridiculous and he is simply humoring her. "Fine. First, the name's Jughead. Call me Forsythe again and you'll be out on the street. Got it?" Betty nods, relaxing slightly. "Okay, good. Second, you're gonna have to do everything around here, from serving food to cleaning to taking out trash to helping me with office stuff. I'm gonna have my right hand woman train you this week. Her name's Veronica Lodge. She also goes to Riverdale U, maybe you know her?"

Veronica Lodge. Yeah, she _definitely_ knows Veronica Lodge. The good girl of Riverdale U who thinks she is tough shit because her dad is the Dean and she keeps a 4.0 GPA. She is richer than God and never lets people forget it. She never has a hair out of place. She also doesn't care for the rules of college or people generally – she's above it all. _Shit, this is going to be a long week_ , Betty thinks.

"Okay. Where can I find Veronica?"

As soon as the words come out of Betty's mouth the door to the office swings open and there, in the doorway, is Veronica in her usual black dress, black heels, and pearls. "Betty," she greets, disinterested. Betty waves at her. "Jug," she says, turning towards the man, "we need another person downstairs. Can I take this one?" She points at Betty and rolls her eyes, clearly unhappy about having Betty around. When Jughead nods, Veronica hands Betty the apron that she has been holding, quickly turns on her heels, and walks out. Betty follows her and hears the door slam behind her.

The rest of the day passes in a horrible blur. Betty has never scrubbed so many pans in her life. Her hands are wrinkly by the end of dinner service and her nail polish is ruined. _People should know how to wash their own freaking dishes_. When the evening is finally over, Jughead is still locked in his office. Veronica and Betty are the only two people left as they sweep the floors and get ready to close. Betty is sweating and miserable.

"When does Jughead go home?" Betty asks.

"Oh, he lives on the third floor. There's a really decent apartment up there." When Betty doesn't respond, Veronica continues. "He owns the building, so he just chooses to be here all the time. Not like he can't afford a place or anything."

Betty's eyes go wide with surprise, and Veronica chuckles before continuing. "You ever heard of F. Pendleton Jones? The writer?" Betty nods – he's her favorite. "That's Juggy. He left after high school. Sold his first book during his freshman year at NYU. His second book was published before his senior year. And when he graduated last year, he came home. He started this place, a low-cost day care, and a thrift shop with his book profits. He wants to give back to Riverdale for giving him all he has – even though his life was utter shit when he was here."

Betty's head is spinning. Her _favorite_ mystery author is the complete jerk upstairs? Really? Unbelievable. Meanwhile, Betty is a 22 year old trying to avoid being kicked out of a small, local college and living off student loans. She decides that life certainly isn't fair.

"I mean, his parents abandoned him. Dad was in and out of jail; mom took off with his sister. He lived with his best friend until Archie got arrested –"

"Archie?" Betty interrupts. "Archie Andrews?" Veronica nods. "He's… he's the reason I'm here."

"Why _are_ you here? No offense, but you're not really the volunteer type."

"Archie… we went to a party and he was drinking too much. He was… he was my boyfriend until like a week ago." Her heart clenches as Betty starts remembering the pain of that night and the aftermath. "He told me he was okay to drive. But then, he started driving really fast and swerving. I screamed – it was terrifying, but he just laughed. He lost control of the car and drove into a gazebo in a park on campus. He was drunk and had a criminal record, so he asked me to switch places with him. He figured I'd get off easy. He was right. The campus didn't call the cops, and offered me community service here to avoid expulsion. The next day, I found out that Archie was cheating on me with some drug dealer from the Southside. I caught them when I went to see him to tell him about my meeting with the Dean… uh, your dad. It was unbelievable. I sacrificed so much for him and he just abandoned me."

She can feel the tears prickling at her eyes. She has no right to cry, she knows that. She got herself into the mess. She _knew_ Archie was bad news from the beginning. Knew he had a criminal record and dabbled with drugs. Knew he wasn't in school or working – just living with his dad and bumming off of him and her. And yet, the bad boy had been irresistible at the time. Now, a week later, she feels sick just thinking of him.

Veronica nods knowingly. "Archie was my high school boyfriend. Me, Archie, and Juggy were best friends. Til Archie almost got me arrested in high school for stashing drugs in my locker. Juggy and I both cut off all contact after that. Archie spiraled, but Jug and I stayed close even when he was in New York. When he opened this place, he gave me a part time job. He's my best friend and the nicest person I know, even if he is moody and not really great at being a people person."

"I am so sorry about Archie and everything."

Veronica's eyes soften. "Me too, Betty. It seems we have more in common than we thought."

"I guess so. We've both been screwed over by Archie Andrews."

The next day, Betty is actually smiling when she comes in for the dinner shift. She's decided to have an open mind. Clearly, Jughead and Veronica both do this to help people, and she figures she should try to make it through the next few months without causing them too many headaches.

Ronnie, as Veronica insists on being called, has ended up being unexpectedly sweet. She introduces her to all of the rest of the staff and volunteers and Betty enjoys getting to know them, especially Edna, the older woman she'd snubbed the day before. She even joins Ronnie in a conversation with a couple of the people who are there for dinner. She learns that many of them live in a shelter a couple of blocks away, but they are no different than her other than that. If she wasn't lucky to have her parents' money, she _could_ be them. It's jarring, to say the least. And it makes Betty think about how lucky she really is, even though she has thought her life was shit.

Ronnie begs off soon after they close – she has a date with some guy she met recently, so Betty volunteers to clean up alone. Jughead has been upstairs all day, so when she turns the corner to the kitchen and finds him sitting there, making sandwiches and stuffing them into plastic sandwich bags.

"What are you doing?" she asks hesitantly. He barely glances in her direction.

"Making sandwiches to take over to the school tomorrow. Some of the kids can't always afford lunch, so once a week I drop off some stuff for them."

 _Wow, the guy really is a bleeding heart_ , Betty thinks. "Can I… can I help?" she whispers, unsteady on her feet. He finally looks at her, and she's pretty sure her heart stops. _Fuck_ , he's good looking. She gets lost in his eyes for a minute until he nods his head and motions for the bar stool next to his at the counter. She shuffles over, takes a seat next to him, and begins to work. They work in silence together. It's peaceful. Calm. Exactly what Betty needs.

After that night, things look up for Betty. Ronnie becomes a really good friend; they even have lunch on campus once a week together. Jughead is still moody and standoffish, but Betty has spotted him smiling in her direction when he thinks she isn't looking. Her heart flutters every time. Something about him is different than anyone she's ever known. He's so _good_ , despite everything he's been through. She wishes she could be more like him.

It also turns out that they have things in common. They both love to read and, more importantly, to write.

About a month after she started working at the soup kitchen, Betty finds Jughead sitting upstairs after hours, typing away on his computer. She sits in the plush chair near his desk. When he spots her, he smirks and retrieves a bottle of whiskey and two tumblers for them. It's become somewhat of a nighttime ritual for them – a glass of whiskey and talking about writing and books and life. Betty values the time.

Jughead is fascinating. He tells her about the tour he went on with his first book (in Europe only – he didn't want Americans to recognize him on the streets) and his many travels. About his shitty upbringing, his sister, Jellybean, and his "little brother" from Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Betty talks about how she has screwed up her entire life. She doesn't know what to do when she "grows up" and graduates. She's getting a degree in English, but feels lost and unsure. She's been drinking too much and partying, stressed and insecure about school. She can't figure out why she is comfortable telling Jughead of all people about her problems, but she is. And he is surprisingly helpful.

She admitted to herself a while ago that she likes him, maybe even has a little crush on him. Not that she'll ever do something about it.

This time, as they sip their rum, he helps her figure out that she likes writing _news_. She was on the newspaper in high school, and was planning to join it when she got to college. But then Archie happened. And she lost track of herself and who she wanted to be.

In that moment, she decides to register for a journalism class the following semester. And she does just that the following day.

Jughead smiles at her brightly when she tells him and hugs her. Betty can't help but sink into his arms. Her lips graze his neck as she pushes her face into the crook of his neck and she feels him shiver. _That's new_. His arms tighten around her and she sighs. When they finally pull apart, she is smiling brightly and Jughead awkwardly adjusts his beanie while biting his lip. They stand in front of each other for a minute without moving.

It feels like her heart is beating out of her chest. She can't figure out what it is about Jughead that makes her feel like she's fourteen again with her first crush. He is so _good_. And he makes her a better person. She likes it.

Before anything else happens, Ronnie opens up the door without warning, startling the duo out of their stupor. Betty quickly heads back downstairs.

For the next week Betty doesn't see Jughead. Ronnie tells her that he's in New York for a meeting with his publisher. He'll be gone for a couple of weeks while in negotiations for his third novel.

On the eighth day of his absence (not that she's counting) she gets a text from him. _Hey Betts_. That's all it says. And yet, heat radiates through her. She immediately texts back. They end up texting until late that evening.

The next night, she calls him. After two hours, she falls asleep with the phone next to her, Jughead rambling on about the meetings he'd had that day.

Betty realizes that she actually _needs_ him in her life. She craves him. When he returns, she feels like she can breath again. He kisses her cheek and hugs her tightly when he walks in and she never wants to let go.

Before she knows it, she only has a week left of community service. She's dreading it, actually, and is trying desperately trying to think of an excuse to continue hanging around. She sees Ronnie at school, but without her time at the soup kitchen, she will inevitably lose Jughead.

"You know," he says to her on her last night as they sip their drinks upstairs. "You don't _have_ to leave." Betty clearly hasn't been as subtle as she thought she was being. He knows how much she wants to stick around. Hopefully he doesn't know how much wants _him_.

"I…"

Before she can continue, he interrupts her. "I mean," he starts, tugging his beanie off of his head so that his black hair is falling into his eyes. "I could, uh, give you a job or something." He's nervous, Betty can tell.

"Really?" He nods.

"I-I'd really like that."

He's surprised; she sees his eyebrows rise. "Cool."

"Cool."

And so she continues to work at the soup kitchen after school three days a week. Veronica and Betty are closer than ever. Ronnie even tries to give her advice about Jughead after she catches Betty staring at him one too many times and figures out how she feels.

Ronnie thinks Jughead feels the same way. But he's shy, and intimidated by Betty's strong personality. Betty doesn't believe her.

Betty takes on more responsibility at the soup kitchen, even helping Jughead with the books. They make a good team. They have since the beginning.

Six months after they first met, she thanks Jughead for saving her. For getting her back on the right track. She's changed her major to journalism, which means she'll be in school for an extra year, but she's finally found her way. And she's back to who she always wanted to be. She actually _cares_ about people again.

He walks over to her as she says it, staring out the window at the moon. His hand rests on her shoulder and turns her around to look at him. Her eyes are glassy, but she is smiling. "Betty," he whispers breathily. She can feel his breath wash over her face.

"What?" she asks quietly. He just keeps staring at her; she can see him swallow deeply. "What?"

His hands cup her cheeks and he moves forward, his lips gently skimming over hers. Her hands go to the nape of his neck, pulling him closer to her as she sighs into his mouth. Something in her actions encourages him and he wraps his arms around her and kisses her more deeply.

When they finally break away from each other, their foreheads are still touching.

A "wow" slips from her lips. Jughead chuckles.

"I agree. So, Betty Cooper, will you go out with me sometime?" He looks vulnerable in that moment, so close to her but clearly insecure. She can tell he isn't used to putting himself out there.

"Jughead Jones, I would be honored."

The smile on his face is enough to make Betty feel like she is floating.

Who would have thought that community service would have completely changed her life?


End file.
